When you think of Japan, things like technology, sushi, ramen, or cities brimming with immense spirituality and modernity come to mind. Here, however, among Zen temples and skyscrapers, something (gastronomically) perhaps unexpected has happened: the best tiramisu in the world is Japanese. Well, perhaps, the Italians and inventors of this famous dessert, they expected the record that instead went to our Japanese friends. The gold medal winner was pastry chef Aya Okada, awarded world champion of the 2025 World Trophy of Professional Tiramisu. This competition is exclusively dedicated to the quintessential Italian dessert, organized and conceived by the IFPGC – International Federation of Pastry, Gelato, and Chocolate.
The Best Tiramisu in The World's Ranking
The jury was enchanted by Aya Okada's tiramisu creations. The contestants were in competition, and to impress the judges, they had to present a traditional and a more innovative tiramisu. The creative one, according to the experts, was a true symphony of flavors, featuring the classic mascarpone cream contained within a small chocolate piano, decorated with maraschino cherries and black cherries: aesthetics, technique, and flavor perfectly combined.
In second place, with her "Amormisù", was Milena Russo, who awarded Italy the silver medal in this category. Originally from Capo d'Orlando (Messina), the Italian pastry chef surprised the jury with her creation, a refined blend of Bulgarian rose, raspberries, pink peppercorn, and coffee, accompanied by rosemary and lemon ladyfingers.
Third place went to Morocco, with pastry chef Simon Loutid‘s tiramisu "Nostalgia di un bambino" (Nostalgia for a Child). A tribute to his native Africa, this dessert resembles a bissap flower, evoking intense aromas of vanilla and hibiscus.
Tiramisu is a Universal Dessert
There are two types of Italians who "reacted" to this news: those whose pride was wounded, and those who understood the universality of Italian cuisine. The latter is always evolving, traveling, and reinventing itself to perfection. Japan simply did what it does best: take something iconic, study it with respect and pinpoint precision, and transform it into an art form. This is exactly what Aya Okada, born in 1996, originally from Ishikawa, did, becoming the new world tiramisu champion.
"Tiramisu represents the essence of Italy and confirms its universal language, capable of bringing together cultures and pastry chefs from all over the world," commented Matteo Cutolo, president of the Fipgc, who was present at the tasting. The victory was decreed by a high-profile international jury, led by Marco Paolo Molinari and composed of experts such as Ciro Chiummo, Francesca Speranza, Nabil Barina and Taizo Shibano, who evaluated the desserts based on technique, balance of ingredients and innovative capacity.
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